Sectional wooden gutter



Jan. 7, 1964 w. SCHAEFER 3,116,609

SECTIONAL WOODEN GUTTER Filed Dec; 19, 1961 3 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR.

I'V/LL/AM SCHAEFEQ @wwrv,

ATTORNEYS Jan. 7, 1964 w. SCHAEFER SECTIONAL WOODEN GUTTER 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed D60. 19, 1961 ATTORNEYS W. SCHAEFER SECTIONAL WOODEN GUTTER Jan. 7, 1964 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Deq. 19, 1961 ,0- ,mwmm M ATTORNEYS.

United States Patent 3,116,609 SECTIONAL WOODEN GUTTER William Schaefer, 60 Tomoka Ave., Pittsburgh, Pa. Filed Dec. 19, 1961, Ser. No. 160,446 Claims. (Cl. 61-14) This invention relates to a sectional wooden gutter and, more particularly, to means for joining the sections tightly together.

It is among the objects of this invention to provide a sectional wooden gutter in which the sections are joined together in abutting relation by means of interlocking metal connector pieces, the latter being so designed that rotation of one connector piece relative to the adjacent one will draw the gutter sections together to the desired degree of tightness.

The foregoing and other objects will be apparent from the following description of the invention, in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of portions of two wooden gutter sections before they are joined together;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of two metal connector pieces before they are inserted in the gutter sections and connected together;

FIG. 3 is a plan view of portions of two wooden gutter sections initially and loosely connected together by the metal connector pieces;

FIG. 4 is a plan view of the wooden gutter sections and metal connector pieces in their final tightened position;

FIG. 5 is an elevation, partly in section, along the line VV of FIG. 3;

FIG. 6 is an elevation, partly in section, along the line VIVI of FIG. 4;

FIG. 7 is a transverse section along the line VII-VII of FIG. 3;

FIG. 8 is a transverse section along the lines VIII-VIII of FIG. 4; and

FIG. 9 is a plan view of the invention applied to the mitered corner sections of a gutter.

The gutter of this invention comprises at least two trough-shaped wooden sections disposed end to end and joined tightly together by a pair of trough-shaped metal connector pieces. Each connector piece has a downturned edge or lip at one end adapted to engage a transverse groove in one of the wooden sections and has a folded edge at the other end disposed at an angle to the longitudinal axis of the connector piece. This folded edge of one connector piece is adapted to interlock with the corresponding folded edge of the other connector piece. The connector pieces are of such a length and the grooves in the wooden gutter sections are so spaced from the abutting ends of those sections that the sections can be drawn together and held in tight abutting relation by rotating one of the connector pieces relative to the other about a longitudinal axis while the folded edges of the connector pieces are in interlocking engagement and the downturned lips at the other ends of those pieces engage the grooves in the wooden sections.

Referring to the drawings, there are shown portions of two wooden gutter sections 1 and 2, which are of generally trough shape and open at the top. The abutting ends 3 and 4 of these sections are cut at an angle, preferably 45, to the longitudinal axis of the sections. Each section is provided with a transverse groove 6 in the bottom of its trough portion. This groove has a vertical face 7 on the side nearest the adjacent end 3 or 4 of the section. The other side 8 of the groove may be a sloping wall. It is also desirable that at the abutting ends 3 and 4 of the sections there be provided shallow grooves 9.

These wooden gutter sections are held in tight abutting relationship by a pair of metal connector pieces 11 and 3,116,609 Patented Jan. 7, 1964- 12, which are essentially trough-shaped to conform to the trough portion of the wooden sections. One end 13 of each connector piece is provided with a downturned edge or lip 14 that is adapted to fit into the groove 6 in one of the wooden sections and to engage the vertical face 7 of that groove. The other ends 16 of connector pieces 11 and 12, adjacent the bottom of those pieces, are provided with folded edges 17 and 18, respectively. These ends 16 are disposed at an angle, preferably about 45, to the longitudinal axis of the connector pieces. One of the folded edges 17 is folded downwardly and back on itself, the other 18 is folded upwardly and back on itself (see FIG. 6). These folded edges are adapted to engage each other and form an interlocking connection. One of the connector pieces has tabs 19, representing the side wall extensions, which overlap the side walls of the other connector piece when the parts are in their final assembled position.

The gutter is assembled by placing one of the connector pieces, for example, piece 12, in the end of one of the wooden sections 2 with the downturned lip 14 of the connector piece received in the groove 6 of the wooden section. The connector piece 12 is of such a length that, when so positioned, its folded edge =18 will overlie the recess 9 at the end of wooden section 2. The other connector piece 11 is now interlocked with the first piece 12 by mutual engagement of their folded edges 17 and 18. However, this initial engagement is made with one of the connectors rotated relative to the other about a longitudinal axis, so that, for example, the side edge 21 of the connector piece 11 will be higher than the adjacent side edge 22 of the connector 12 (see FIG. 5). The wooden sections are then brought together sufficiently close that the downturned lip 14 of connector piece 11 will be received in the groove 6 of wooden section 1. The high edge 21 of connector piece 11 is then tapped with a hammer to bring it into alignment with the edge 22 of connector piece 12. This rotation of one connector piece relative to the other along their mutually engaged folded edges will produce the same relative longitudinal movement between those pieces as would be produced by the rotation of two threaded members of the equivalent pitch. This relative rotation of the connector pieces tends to shorten the distance between their downturned lips 14, which engage the vertical faces 7 of the grooves 6 in the wooden sections and thereby force those sections to wards each other. The length of the connector pieces 11 and 12 and the location of the grooves 6 in the wooden sections are so selected that the above operation, when completed, that is, when the edges 21 and 22 of the two connector pieces are in alignment, will stress the connector pieces in tension with the ends of the wooden sections in tight abutting relation to each other. The final position of the wooden sections and the metal connector pieces is shown in FIGS. 4, 6, and 8.

It will be noted that the folded edges 17 and 18 of the connector pieces are limited to the bottom, arcuate portion of those members, that is to the parts that are relatively rotatable while engaged. The tabs 19 on the end of connector piece 11 are adapted to overlap the side wall portions 23 and 24 of the adjacent connector piece 12. This overlap acts as a protective covering for the underlying portion of the woo-den gutter section. It will generally be desirable to insert caulking (not shown) between the abutting ends of the wooden sections and also to caulk between the metal connector pieces, (as well as around the ends of those pieces in the grooves 6 and recesses 9 of the wooden sections, as well as around and under other edges, such as those of tabs 19, where water might tend to leak. Finally, as shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, portions 26 of the metal connector pieces extending above the top of the wooden gutter sections or portions 27 not 3 conforming to the upper curve of those sections may be bent and fastened in place with nails or other suitable means.

In FIG. 9, the invention is applied to a corner joint between two mitred wooden gutter sections 31 and 32. The connector pieces 33 and 34 are essentially the same as those previously described and operate in the same way, with the exception that their engaging ends are cut to form a mitre joint.

It is among the advantages of this invention that sections of a wooden gutter may be tightly connected together to form a tight end to end joint (or a mitred joint) by means of the simple metal connecting pieces herein described. This metal is sutficiently stiff that the lips 14 and the folded edges 17 and 18 can withstand fairly heavy tensile forces and thereby by their cam-like, or screw-like, characteristics exert considerable force to draw the ends of the wooden sections together and hold them together. This latter function is helped by nailing or otherwise fastening the metal pieces to their supporting wooden sections when the final assembly has been completed and tightened. Further, by appropriate caulking in and around the grooves 6 and recesses 9, it is possible to obtain a completely leak-proof joint.

According to the provisions of the patent statutes, I have explained the principle of my invention and have illustrated and described what I now consider to represent its best embodiment. However, I desire to have it understood that, within the scope of the appended claims, the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically illustrated and described.

I claim:

1. A gutter comprising at least two trough-shaped wooden sections disposed end to end, a transverse groove in the trough of each section, a pair of trough-shaped connector pieces joining two adjacent wooden sections, each connector piece having a downturned lip at one end disposed in the groove and engaging a side of said groove in one of the wooden sections and having a folded edge at the other end disposed at an angle to the longitudinal axis of the connector piece and slidably interlocking with the corresponding end of the other connector piece of said pair, the connector pieces being of such length and the grooves in the wooden sections being so spaced from the abutting ends of those sections that the sections can be drawn together and held in tight abutting relation by rotating one connector piece relative to the other about a longitudinal axis while the angled folded edges of the connector pieces are in sliding interlocking engagement.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1, in which that side of the groove that is engaged by the lip of the connecting member has a vertically extending face.

3. Apparatus according to claim 1, in which the abutting ends of the wooden sections are disposed at an angle to the longitudinal axes of those sections corresponding to the angle of the abutting ends of the connector pieces to their longitudinal axes.

4. Apparatus according to claim 1, in which the folded edge at one end of each connector piece is limited to the bottom portion of said piece.

5. Apparatus according to claim 1, in which a portion of the bottom of the trough of each wooden section immediately adjacent the abutting end of that section is provided with a shallow recess, said recesses forming a single recess when the ends of those sections are in abutting relation for receiving the interlocked folded edges of the metal connector pieces.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 428,822 Belding May 27, 1890 FOREIGN PATENTS 21,469 Great Britain 1911 37,184 Norway Apr. 16, 1923 

1. A GUTTER COMPRISING AT LEAST TWO TROUGH-SHAPED WOODEN SECTIONS DISPOSED END TO END, A TRANSVERSE GROOVE IN THE TROUGH OF EACH SECTION, A PAIR OF TROUGH-SHAPED CONNECTOR PIECES JOINING TWO ADJACENT WOODEN SECTIONS, EACH CONNECTOR PIECE HAVING A DOWNTURNED LIP AT ONE END DISPOSED IN THE GROOVE AND ENGAGING A SIDE OF SAID GROOVE IN ONE OF THE WOLDEN SECTIONS AND HAVING A FOLDED EDGE AT THE OTHER END DISPOSED AT AN ANGLE TO THE LONGITUDIAL AXIS OIF THE CONNECTOR PIECE AND SLIDABLY INTERLOCKING WITH THE CORRESPONDING END OF THE OTHER CONNECTOR PIECE OF SAID PAIR, THE CONNECTOR PIECES BEING OF SUCH LENGTH AND THE GROOVES IN THE WOODEN SECTIONS BEING SO SPACED FROM THE BUTTING ENDS OF THOSE SECTIONS THAT THE SECTIONS CAN BE DRAWN TOGETHER AND HELD IN TIGHT ABUTTING RELATION BY ROTATING ONE CONNECTOR PIECE RELATIVE TO THE OTHER ABOUT A LONGITUDINAL AXIS WHILE THE ANGLED FOLDED EDGES OF THE CONNECTOR PIECES ARE IN SLIDING INTERLOCKING ENGAGEMENT. 